


The Land is Dark

by MusicalLuna



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Avengers Family, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Panic Attacks, Post-Battle of New York (Marvel), Public Relations, Tony Feels, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-21
Updated: 2016-06-21
Packaged: 2018-11-29 23:11:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 434
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11451027
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MusicalLuna/pseuds/MusicalLuna
Summary: At a press conference, someone asks about the Battle of New York. Tony barely manages to make it backstage before he slips into a full-blown panic attack.Fortunately, his friends are there for him.





	The Land is Dark

**Author's Note:**

  * For [thedinoknowsall](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=thedinoknowsall).



The second the press conference is over, Tony books it out of his seat, making a beeline for the green room. One of the last few questions they’d gotten had been about the invasion of New York and what they intended to do when something like that happened again and he’d had to white-knuckle his way through the last five minutes of questions.

Tony scrabbles at his tie, yanking it away from his neck and tugging it over his head because he can’t  _breathe_ , his chest is on fire and he can’t  _breathe._ Every beat of his heart slams it against the arc reactor and it feels like he’s going to look down and see the thing hanging out, held in by a few dangling wires.

His knees feel watery and he sinks down to the floor with his back to the side of the sofa, clutching at his legs with shaking fingers. Oh god, oh god. 

“Tony?” Bruce calls, the door opening, and Tony’s panic spikes at the thought of anyone seeing him like this.

“Shut the door!” he snaps, voice nearly giving out on him.

Bruce slips hurriedly inside, but the door doesn’t close, because Steve and Natasha and Thor are on his heels. Then the door almost makes it shut before Clint pushes it back open. He hastily closes it when he catches sight of Tony’s face.

“Whoa, shit. What happened?” he says, reaching up and turning his hearing aid back on. “I tuned out the last bit.”

Steve gives him a disapproving look, but answers, “They asked about New York.”

“Shit,” Clint says and drops down to sit next to Tony.

Tony buries his face in his hands, and shakes.

“Solnyshko, I know it doesn’t feel like you can, but take a deep breath.”

It feels like his lungs are screaming, but Tony tries anyway, mortified by the sobs sneaking out of his control.

“Asgard stands behind Earth, you know this, Tony,” Thor reminds him.

Right. Right, they’re not alone out there, but not everyone wants to murder them.

“And we’ve been in talks with other countries about organizing in case of another invasion so it won’t just be the six of us, remember?” Steve prompts gently, putting a hand on Tony’s knee. It’s big and warm and steadying and Tony breathes just a little bit easier. “Wakanda has been especially supportive.”

“T’challa is pretty kick ass,” Tony croaks.

“And this isn’t all on you, Tony. We’ll make sure Earth is safe, together,” Bruce says.

Yeah, that’s right, he’s part of a team now.

Little by little, the panic subsides.


End file.
